1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to swimming pools and, more particularly, to swimming pools especially adapted to float in a body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Floating swimming pools are known in the art as exemplified by the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,602,925; 4,087,870; 4,135,256; and 4,706,307. Of interest, U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,575 discloses a modular swimming pool that is designed to be used with a ground installation. There are certain features that would be desirable in a floating swimming pool that are not present in the prior art floating swimming pools. For example, to provide enhanced stability, it would be desirable if a floating swimming pool had a completely rigid water retaining portion. The prior art floating swimming pools disclose water retaining portions that have one or more flexible walls. To provide greater flotation ability to the water retaining portion, it would be desirable if the exterior surfaces of the walls were covered with a buoyant material.
The prior art floating swimming pools disclose devices that provide flotation for the water retaining portion and deck adjacent to the water retaining portion. The flotation devices provided by the prior art appear to be single-chamber devices that are coextensive with the perimeter of the water retaining portion. As a result, flotation forces are distributed evenly around the periphery of the water retaining portion. Such an even peripheral distribution of flotation forces may not be desirable in view of the fact that the weight of the floating swimming pool is not evenly distributed throughout the floating swimming pool. More specifically, in a floating swimming pool that has a water retaining portion of varying depth, the walls located in the deep end of the water retaining portion are longer than the walls located in the shallow end of the water retaining portion. As a result, the deep side of the water retaining portion has greater weight than the shallow side. Therefore, in order to provide a floating swimming pool that is not tilted in the water, the deeper side should have greater flotation forces than the shallow side. Generally, then, it would be desirable if a floating swimming pool had a way to provide adjustable flotation forces around the periphery of the floating swimming pool.
A floating swimming pool has both a water retaining portion and a peripheral deck on which persons can walk. It is essential that the deck be firmly secured to the water retaining portion. In this respect, it would be desirable if a simple and inexpensive way were provided to strongly secure a deck to a water retaining portion in a floating swimming pool.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use floating swimming pools, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a floating swimming pool apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) has a completely rigid water retaining portion; (2) has exterior wall surfaces which are covered with a buoyant material; (3) provides adjustable flotation forces around the periphery of the floating swimming pool; and (4) provides a simple and inexpensive way to strongly secure a deck to a water retaining portion.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique floating swimming pool apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.